Conservative radio host Rush Limbaugh challenged President Obama to a verbal showdown Wednesday.

(CNN) - Conservative radio host Rush Limbaugh challenged President Obama to a verbal showdown Wednesday, calling on him to visit his talk show for an "intelligent, open discussion" on issues like health care and taxes.

"If you can win at this, then come here and beat me at my own game, and get rid of me once and for all, and show all the people of America that I am wrong," said Limbaugh. "If you take me out, if you can wipe me out in a debate and prove to the rest of America that what I say is senseless and wrong, do you realize you will own the United States of America?"

Limbaugh also accused the White House of orchestrating an attack on him, telling his listeners that the Obama team is demonizing the radio host since Bush left office. He said the effort was being spearheaded by White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel, who Limbaugh refers to as the "power behind the throne."

"Don't let his effeminate nature and his ballerina past mislead you on this. He may look effeminate (he was a ballerina at one time) but he has the feral instincts of a female rat defending its young," Limbaugh said.

"I'm calling. I'm ready. I'll do everything I can to facilitate it. You're a very courageous man, Mr. President. I am, after all, just The Last Man Standing," Limbaugh said.

In January, Limbaugh called on the president to sign on to his “bi-partisan” stimulus plan, which would increase government spending for roughly half the country, and cut taxes for the other half.

soundoff(746 Responses)

It's Obvious, if only to me.

Rush and his sheep. Hilarious.

They have bit down on the bait like it was made out of red-state rib eye. Rush is only helping to further paint himself as the true leader of the RNC. Which will make everything he says, no matter how vile, disturbing, bigoted, unpatriotic etc. be reflected negatively on the GOP. Which will make every failed attempt to disagree with Rush by members of the Republican party seem like a complete agreement by the party members. Rush wants to challenge Obama so he can say "Obama is scared of me" which won't work, because Presidents don't debate Radio Disk Jockeys, and we all know it. But, he will use that as an opportune time to spew putrid things out of his glutenous orifice that will further damage the Republican reputation.

It's funny, Rush's greed and need for the spot light, will be the undoing of the greedy party. It's Obvious, if only to me.

March 4, 2009 05:05 pm at 5:05 pm |

Jason

I don't think Obama would waste his time. There are pressing matters at hand.

March 4, 2009 05:05 pm at 5:05 pm |

Cooper In Toronto Canada

Who the HELL this FOUL mouth think he is? Is he looking for credibility? Someone should do this air head a favor and remind him to take his medication...

March 4, 2009 05:05 pm at 5:05 pm |

Independent

Eric,
Maybe the Lord will come quickly FOR YOU!!!!!

March 4, 2009 05:06 pm at 5:06 pm |

connie

oh the Liberals are really good a name calling. I don't listen to Rush but he has alot of listeners so he must be saying something right. Has any of you name callers ever listen to him and i mean really listen to what he is saying. I don't it because he is asking people to open their minds and not be brainwashed by Obama and his team. This Obama team doesn't like any criticism about what they are doing. As soon as Obama gets rid of Wall Street then he can move on to complete Socialism of this country. I double dog dare any of you to sit and listen to what Rush says and write back what you didn't like about it.

March 4, 2009 05:06 pm at 5:06 pm |

Karol

I hope President Obama never hears about this request. We have come so far to have someone like Mr. Rush try to cause trouble. During the 8 years under Mr. Bush was there ever a request to have an intelligent open minded discussion. Don't recall this being the case. This is a time to come together and heal our country not play a game show with Mr. Rush.

March 4, 2009 05:07 pm at 5:07 pm |

Inquiry

I would actually enjoy seeing Olbermann have rush on his show – it would be a hoot to see rush get all red in the face & pee himself!!

March 4, 2009 05:07 pm at 5:07 pm |

matt

The sad thing is that the Democrat Party doesn't even have a leader. They accuse Rush of being the Republican leader, but they don't even have one. Who is it, Reid, Pelosi, who??? It's NOT obama, he claimed NO earmarks and his OWN party house leaders said obama can't tell us no on earmarks...lol – love it, honeymoon is officially over folks

March 4, 2009 05:07 pm at 5:07 pm |

Tired of the Blowhard

If he is the last man standing, then why don't he run for president! Enough people love him in this country to give him more of a shot than Ron Paul. Politcal radio guys ( and I mean both sides ) talk alot of fluff, but never had guts to put it on the line...Give credit to Al Franken who came from behind the mic and is giving it a run, wether I agree with him or not, I respect him more for putting himself out there, it's not easy opening your life to the media driven world we live in now. I believe Rush knows this and we all know about the skeletons he has in his closet on the first rack, but it's the back of the closet that would ruin him. I can't stand Hannity either but at least he has come out and said he does not want Obama to fail, even though he disagrees with most of his policies...In a nut shell....Rush , sit down and shut up!!!!

March 4, 2009 05:08 pm at 5:08 pm |

Nelson Colorado Springs Co.

I wish someone would give one good reason why President Obama needs to meet with limbaugh. limbaugh is a radio entertainer. If rus feel he is the last man standing. I would like toknow what he been smoking or what drugs he is on. Sen McCain dance around the question about limbaugh about being the mouth of the Republican Party. If limbuagh got all the answer why don't run for president or why didn't he run with Sen McCain. Waste of time but it's media play

March 4, 2009 05:08 pm at 5:08 pm |

Linda32

Rush seems to think he is important outside the realm of the Republican party. Sorry to tell, but not even close.

March 4, 2009 05:08 pm at 5:08 pm |

meh

antisnob> Yes, but, don't forget that Rush has a penchant for tearing down drug users....& he is one himself, which makes him a big, fat hypocrite.

God, people! Don't any of you own a dictionary? Look up socialism! It's obvious by the way you bandy the word around that you haven't the foggiest.
I'm starting to think "socialist" is the new "n-word".

March 4, 2009 05:08 pm at 5:08 pm |

Juan

Did Bush ever go on and speak with Keith Olbermann? No? Why should Obama go on a show where no matter how well he does and how much he shuts down Rush he will be painted as the loser. When he went on the O'Reilly Factor, Obama did a great job and wiped the floor with O'Reilly (with no teleprompter, you morons who think all he can do is talk from a prompter) but the Faux News watching bunch still thought Bill O' won that. No matter what he does it's a lose/lose situation for him. He doesn't go on, Rush calls him a coward. He goes on and looks like a fool, everybody thinks he's a fool. He goes on and wipes the floor with Rush, the conservatives still say Rush won no matter what. Why would he do that?

March 4, 2009 05:08 pm at 5:08 pm |

matt

gerry- what more important things does obama have to do??? spend your money, use my money to pay your defaulted mortgage or promote people staying on welfare and becoming lazy dependents, like the rest of the liberals in this country.

March 4, 2009 05:09 pm at 5:09 pm |

llb

i agree with rush, debate him obama without your teleprompter and cue cards. for once i would like to see you answer unscripted questions. the american people are fools if they believe obama is a real president. he's a speech give in from of a teleprompter. but you got cnn and the other main stream media scared to answer the tough questions.

March 4, 2009 05:09 pm at 5:09 pm |

Mabel in FL

Ridiculous! No American President in history has appeared on an "entertainment purposes only" show (TV or radio) for as long as I can remember! It would be demeaning to the office. I hope Obama does NOT take Rush up on his silly schoolboy sandlot challenge. Rush believes that he and his show are far more important than he or it really is in the grand scheme of things. He's on level with "The View" or "Entertainment Tonight" or "Howard Stern." Since when has a President of the US ever appeared on one of those shows?

March 4, 2009 05:09 pm at 5:09 pm |

DJP

You people are a bunch of kool-aid drinking lemmings! You would follow Obama off a cliff rather than admit he's wrong. 6 weeks and he has made mistake after mistake. no denying it. Heaven help us he's a mad man!!!

March 4, 2009 05:09 pm at 5:09 pm |

John, Rochester MN

While I would love to see Obama smack down Rush, it won't happen. Obama is in a lose-lose situation here. He knows it wouldn't actually be open, as Rush wouldn't allow it to be. So, he doesn't do it, and Rush gets to tell his idiot listeners that the president is scared of him. Even if it were open, and Obama laid the smack down (which is what would happen) Rush would still find a way to claim victory and continue his hatemongering ways.
What would be even better would be an open debate between Rush and Franken. Heck, I'd pay to see that one.

March 4, 2009 05:09 pm at 5:09 pm |

Phil Henry

Who cares what this oxycotin-popping gas-bag thinks?

March 4, 2009 05:09 pm at 5:09 pm |

Tim

Rush seems a tiny bit upset. It must be the side effects of all those drugs that he takes withought a legal prescription. Or perhaps Rush is upsetbecause his favorite political party is being shunned by the entire nation and now less than 25% of people approve of it. Either way neither is Obama's fault. It's Rush's own fault that he takes drugs. It's the Republican Party's own fault for everything they did over the past 8 years that put us in the situation we are now. Obama is simply fixing those problems. Rush might not like the Cure for Real Problems, but he sure likes the Drugs for his own problems.

March 4, 2009 05:10 pm at 5:10 pm |

Larry

I can't stand Rush. But you have to give him props for the marketing genius here. Of course Obama won't debate him, why would he? He absolutely has more important things to do, and there's no upside to winning such a contest.

But...there is plenty of downside. He'll be painted as a coward, especially with Rush's base.

Priceless

March 4, 2009 05:10 pm at 5:10 pm |

llb

excuse me cnn and the the other mainstream media scared to ask the tough questions

March 4, 2009 05:10 pm at 5:10 pm |

Gambino

This guy is an imbecile just like the rest of the flock in the GOP.
Lest I forget,I am a clean shaven Conservative.

March 4, 2009 05:10 pm at 5:10 pm |

Leslie

Oh right, all Obama would hear is "I'll cut your mic". Limpball, Hannity, and the like love to cut off anyone who is making a valid point. I wouldn't spit on that man if he were on fire.